As he surveys the grapevines at Atwater Estate Vineyards in Burdett, Schuyler County, owner Ted Marks is seeing red. Yet his blood pressure doesn’t creep up a bit.

Begun in 2001, the winery is just minutes away from the village of Skaneateles.
Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day
Tours: You may walk the beautiful ground and tour the garden and gazebo area.

Winery owner Joe Gober Jr. enjoys a good jigsaw puzzle. Even ones that take more than three years to complete.

Located on the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario in the small town of New Haven, Hurlbut Apple Orchards was established in 1928 on 130 acres of rolling farmland.

Arcadian Estate Winery’s main building is a 170-year-old barn that is home to a winery, a tasting room, a gift shop and a gallery, on the west side of Seneca Lake near Watkins Glen.

After mroe than 35 years of growing grapes in the Finger Lakes, no one would blame Ann and John Martini if they decided to take it easy. Yet the owners of Anthony Road Wine Co. in Penn Yan, Yates County, show little interest in slowing down.

Route 21 is a winding two-lane that connects Canandaigua to the village of Naples at the south end of Canandaigua Lake.

A prior career in science has proved to be an ace in the hole for Nancy Tisch, owner of Bet the Farm Winery and Gourmet Market in Aurora, Cayuga County.

Some Finger Lakes tasting rooms are thoroughly rustic, right up to the barn rafters; others have softer edges and even a splash of elegance.

In 1986, shoppers at New York City’s Greenmarket gave Eileen and Ken Farnan a nudge toward winemaking. Since then, the couple has opened a tasting room high above Keuka Lake, established a lineup of two dozen wines, endured a grape glut and raised a...

Atwater Estate Vineyards veteran Vinny Aliperti has tackled many roles — winemaker, husband, father, Peace Corps volunteer — and now has added “winery owner” to the list.

Kicking back is easy at Buttonwood Grove Winery in Romulus, Seneca County: Visitors can lollygag on the outdoor deck, stroll to Buttonwood Falls, greet the resident goats or chat in the tasting room with winery owners Diane and Ken Riemer.

Overlooking Seneca Lake, Bloomer Creek Vineyard is owned and operated by wine grower Kim Engle and his wife, artist Debra Bermingham.

The largest family-owned winery in the Finger Lakes, Bully Hill produces between 150,000 and 200,000 cases of wine each year.

Apples and grapes seem like closer cousins after visiting Bellwether Cidery in Trumansburg, Tompkins County.

Slogan: Casual wine tasting, "wine without bull." The late Dave Bagley, owner and winemaker at Poplar Ridge Vineyards, saod he was often asked what "wine without bull" means.

Although a few Finger Lakes wineries make concessions to teetotaling toddlers with such diversions as toy boxes (Anthony Road Wine Company) and outdoor play sets (Lakewood Vineyards), such kiddie perks are more of an afterthought than a tasting room...

Singling out a favorite wine in his own lineup is a cinch for Chris Scholomiti, co-owner and winemaker at CJS Vineyards and Aurelius Winery in Fosterville, Cayuga County.

At Caywood Vineyards, you can enjoy tastings in a restored 1800s barn and grape packing house overlooking a large vinifera vineyard with a grand view of Seneca Lake.

Shortly after graduating from high school in 1980, Tim Miller went to work on a Finger Lakes winery's bottling line. Soaking up all he could, he steadily rose through the ranks to become the assistant winemaker.

Wine and the arts have always gone together, says winery founder Coralee Burch.
So adding an art gallery and a winery in 1998 to an 1830s farmhouse seemed natural for the retired communications professor and her late husband, David Hannie.

Thirty years ago, Patrice DeMay had a crack at Olympic glory. But he found the prospect of becoming a winemaker more alluring.

Chateau Dusseau is near the eastern side of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail.

The Challen family has owned Cayuga Ridge Winery since 1991.
Tom Challen’s background in the grape and wine industry spans 30 years, from the Niagara Peninsula of Canada to the pristine growing conditions of the Finger Lakes.

One of the newest Seneca Lake wineries, Catharine Valley is a family-owned and operated farm winery delivering domestic and Alsatian-style varietal wines.

Fresh air, cobalt-blue water and rolling terrain. No wonder a Swiss family concluded in 1983 that Watkins Glen, Schuyler County, would be an ideal spot for an Alpine winery and restaurant.

Many fates could befall a grape left on the vine past harvest in the Finger Lakes: It might grow a beard of gray mold, get cracked skin, or be devoured by a wild turkey.

Since opening Deer Run Winery on Conesus Lake in 2003, George and Joan Kuyon have lived in sync with the seasons, organizing their lives around bud break, veraison and harvest. Barely ruffled by their transition from corporate America and the classroom,...

In Bill Heary’s youth, summer’s dog days brought the task of cutting and curing hay at his family’s farm in Springville, Erie County. By the time the bales were stacked, the elderberry bushes would be heavy with fruit.

Fred Frank has worked with grapes for decades, so why is the word “banana” giving the owner of Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars a rosy glow?

Lou Damiani and Phil Davis love red wine.
So what are they doing in the Finger Lakes, a region more widely known and praised for white wine?

Esther and John Earle prefer not to play favorites with the 50 grape, fruit and honey wines available at their Seneca Lake tasting rooms.

Without books or blackboards, rookie winery owners Matt Jones and Stacee Elliott have set out to educate consumers about the history of the Finger Lakes.

With under-ripe fruit from the cool and wet summer of 2009, Jim Doolittle of Frontenac Point Vineyard is now working on four sparkling wines.

The wise man does not mix grape and grain.
That old adage isn't holding much water anymore in Finger Lakes wine country with the July 2009 opening of Finger Lakes Distilling in Burdett, Schuyler County.

In the historic Bay House on the grounds of Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Site, the Finger Lakes Wine Center is a showcase for area wineries.

Situated high on Torrey Ridge overlooking one of the deepest parts of Seneca Lake is Fox Run Vineyards, with its 60 acres producing a range of wines.

Some workers at Four Chimneys Organic Winery fly in for their shifts. Others spend nights under the stars.

Tending to the same land as his 19th-century ancestors did, Sayre Fulkerson opened Fulkerson Wine Cellars with his wife Nancy in 1989.

Glenhaven Farm Winery is near the small village of Trumansburg in the Finger Lakes region of New York. You can taste and purchase wines at the farm during the fresh blueberry season, and wines are also available at the Ithaca Farmers Market.

Glenora Wine Cellars, the first winery on Seneca Lake, opened in 1977.
Just three decades later, it is producing 45,000 cases of wine and hosting 85,000 visitors at its winery, its Veraisons restaurant and its 30-room Inn at Glenora.

When the Peterson Family began laying plans for a second winery in the Finger Lakes, they decided the business should have a clear-cut identity.

Giancarelli Farm and Winery is a family operation, owned by brothers Sam Giancarelli. They produce small batches of dessert wines using their own fruits and berries and fruits and grapes from neighboring farms.

Confidence has fueled Hermann Wiemer’s career — especially on a day 32 years ago, when he bought a rundown soybean farm near Seneca Lake. Today, the property’s vineyards produce 12,000 cases of wine, and the German-born winemaker feels lucky that he...

Diners at the James Beard House – the esteemed culinary center in New York City – got a taste of the Finger Lakes’ bounty in March 2005, when the 2003 Hunt Country Vineyards Dry Riesling was served with Chesapeake Bay blue crab. News of the pairing...

Heads up, wine lovers! A Keuka Lake landmark has spread its wings.

Heart & Hands Wine Co., which overlooks the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, keeps its production small in order to focus on quality. "Our intent is to produce food-friendly wines, and we offer several wines crafted from Pinot Noir and Riesling grapes for...

Heads up, wine lovers! A Keuka Lake landmark has spread its wings.

Six generations of Hazlitts have grown grapes on Seneca Lake’s eastern shore, yet their winery in Hector, Schuyler County, bears no sign of snobbery. In fact, it is the only winery in the area that serves popcorn.

Interested in taking a swipe at summer’s swelter?
Just think pink.

Grape juice fermenting in tanks or barrels at a winery is like liquid gold, symbolizing the business’s economic future. Accordingly, every stage of wine production must be taken seriously, since one wrong move might turn thousands of gallons into tangy...

After a decade of waiting for their dream to bear fruit, John and Lorraine Izzo opened Izzo’s White Barn Winery on the east side of Cayuga Lake in December 2009. The couple plans to keep the operation small and infuse it with a “summer camp” vibe, where...

Working from connections established through his day job as a vineyard manager and grower-relations director for Constellation, Tim Moore buys grapes from Seneca and Keuka Lake growers who practice sustainable farming.

JD Wine Cellars, the newest addition to Long Acres Farms, will open May 1.

Starting a winery and a bed-and-breakfast in the 1990s was not a cushy project for Terry and Bob Barrett, but it did afford them an opportunity to throw their souls into a new livelihood.

Keuka Lake Vineyards, owned by Melvin Goldman, has been open since July 2007. Its wine specialties are Riesling, Dry Vignoles and Leon Millot. Tour buses are welcome with advance reservations.

Though some in the Finger Lakes wine industry bristle at the idea of working with anything but European vinifera grapes, Knapp Vineyards co-owner Gene Pierce says sweeter wines made from native grapes play an important role.

With help from their kids and 13 staffers, Len Wiltberger, who left a 30-year Kodak career, and his wife Judy now produce 20,000 gallons of wine annually and manage 10 acres of vineyards.

Lindsay Stevens says her new job as winemaker at King Ferry Winery, on the east side of Cayuga Lake, feels like a homecoming. Her perspective isn’t surprising, considering she spent many summers as a kid just down the road, at her father’s lakehouse.

American winemakers often contemplate their products’ food-friendliness, but few wonder if their wines could soften the spiciness of African cuisine. One exception, though, is the Stamp family of Lakewood Vineyards. They make mead (honeyed wine) for...

On a seemingly typical day at Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars this past spring, a longtime customer barreled into the tasting room to ask the staff if they had heard the news.

John Leidenfrost is a hands-on kind of guy. Equally comfortable swinging a hammer or sketching out a bottle label, the former Ithaca College art professor says running his Schuyler County winery keeps his heart thumping.

Gary Barletta spent 23 years as an amateur winemaker before making the leap to the pros. Now he produces 6,000 gallons annually at Long Point Winery in Aurora, Cayuga County.

Stephanie Lucas Houck gets fired up whenever her family’s winery, Lucas Vineyards, debuts a wine. Houck says her emotions were running especially high during the recent release of Miss Chevious ($8.99), a dry white blend.

Lakeshore Winery, located on a farm that dates back to 1825, is owned and operated by John and Annie Bachman, who purchased the property in 1994 from the winery's founders, Bill and Doris Brown.

Armed with a cornucopia of regional fruit, Bill Martin is showing that wine can come from a spectrum of natural sources. That explains why the indigo-colored liquid glugging into visitors’ glasses at Montezuma Winery may look like a Cab or even a Zin,...

Peering into a glass of the 2003 Black Russian Red releases a flood of memories for John McGregor, co-owner of McGregor Vineyard Winery in Dundee, Yates County.

Old homes typically have at least a few secrets to reveal. But the 19th-century home of Suzy Hayes and Doug Miles has a bundle.

The New York Wine and Culinary Center is not just a gift shop or a tasting room. In addition to promoting New York produce and wine, it also conducts about 400 classes for about 6,500 people a year.

Prejean Winery in Penn Yan, Yates County, welcomed triplets a few years back, and they have settled in nicely.

The Pleasant Valley Wine Co., located on Keuka Lake, is the first bonded (US #1) wine company in the United States.

The six wines offered at Pompous Ass, located five miles north of Watkins Glen on Route 14, are made with local grapes and range from dry to sweet.

Six years ago Amy and David Hoffman left behind corporate careers in southern California to revive a neglected vineyard in Penn Yan, Yates County. Because of their pluck, the couple has gained a loyal following and a deeper sense of purpose.

Rock Stream Vineyards is one of the Finger Lakes’ newest wineries and it’s family owned and operated. The tasting room on Route 14 and Fir Tree Point Road opened on July 23, 2005 and is open 12-5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays and 10-5 p.m. on...

The philosophy of Rasta Ranch Vineyards: Wine should be a fun part of everyday life. Rasta encourages you to "experiment with wine and food combinations and keep an open mind to new varieties."

Red Tail Ridge Winery specializes in limited production wines. The winery is located on the western shore of Seneca Lake and we are devoted to produceing premium dry wines.
Hours: Apr-Dec, Mon-Sat, 10-5, Sun 11-5

Ravines Wine Cellars isn’t on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail map, so it’s the proverbial hidden gem for those who happen upon it. A small boutique winery on the east side of Keuka Lake, Ravines has attempted to replicate the spirit of Provence, a region in...

First things first about Red Newt Cellars: The winery doesn’t have a pet red newt. But it does have a lively tasting room and a highly regarded sit-down restaurant.

Established in 1986, Shaw Vineyard included a farm on the east side of Keuka Lake, north of Hammondsport, that produced Chardonnay, Merlot and Riesling grapes. A second vineyard just south of the village of Penn Yan produced Catawba, Niagara and other...

When visiting his grandfather’s dairy farm in western Monroe County as a child in the 1960s, Paul Schwenk would wander down to the homestead’s basement for impromptu winemaking lessons. The setting was hardly formal, yet Schwenk soaked up valuable...

Looking for a lush, fruity wine to serve at a picnic? How about a bone-dry brandy to cap off an elegant dinner? Both of these — and dozens of other selections — are available at Swedish Hill Vineyard in Romulus, Seneca County.

After moonlighting at a Hudson Valley winery, David DeMarco decided farming was an itch he needed to scratch.
So he left behind his computer consulting work and the bustle of Manhattan to buy a vineyard on the west side of Seneca Lake in 1993.

Positioned at the southernmost end of the Cayuga Wine Trail, near Ithaca, Six Mile Creek Winery is an excellent starting point to initiate wine touring.

Sheldrake Point general manager Bob Madill likes rolling up his sleeves, especially if it involves nudging Finger Lakes wine closer to the center of the spotlight.

"Red is all we do," says the sign at the entrance of Shalestone Vineyards. The philosophy of winemaker-owners Rob and Kate Thomas is "tune into nature, go with the natural ebb and flow of life."

Silver Thread Vineyard was planted in the early 1980s on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. The winery is about midway between the villages of Lodi and Valois.

Owners Sari and John Zuccarino opened Silver Springs Winery in June 2004 selling their 2002 red wines. They say they're striving to produce a taste of Italy as the passion for wine has been passed down in the Zuccarino family for several...

In a butter-yellow farmhouse on Seneca Lake, winery owners Marti and Tom Macinski carry out their duties like old pros, drawing confidence from the fact that top-shelf wines are being crafted throughout the Finger Lakes region.

Dave Mansfield has launched three wineries – Stony Lonesome Wine Cellars, Passion Feet Vineyard & Wine Barn and Rogue’s Hollow Winery -- and folded in the existing Nagy's New Land, all within walking distance of each other, at Three Brothers Wineries &...

Thirsty Owl Wine Company is one of Cayuga Lake’s newest vineyards and wineries. The winery has 150 acres with over 2,000 feet of lake frontage on Route 89, midway up the west side of the lake.

As newlyweds in the 1980s, Wayne County residents Fumie and Jock Thorpe spent weekends strolling through shopping malls or going out for ice cream sundaes after dinner. Now they work most weekends and summer weekdays pouring wine at Thorpe Vineyard in...

Valerie Rosbaugh of Hector, Schuyler County, says grape juice courses through her veins.
It has been that way ever since she and her husband, Timothy, worked for a Finger Lakes grape grower decades ago.

Tuscan cheerfulness radiates from Ventosa Vineyards in Geneva, Ontario County: The expansive tasting room is decked in hues of saffron yellow and terra-cotta; the cafe whips up simple yet satisfying fare; and the terrace is ideal for al fresco dining.

Villa Bellangelo is a family-owned and family-operated winery in Dundee, in the Finger Lakes region. It's on the west side of Seneca Lake between Glenora Wine Cellars to the south and Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyards to the north.

When expanding its vineyards in 2007, White Springs Winery planted four acres of Riesling Clone 198 on a swath of land in Geneva that has more gravel and stones than soil. The winery plans to harvest the fruit for the first time this fall, and...

Woodbury Vineyards' flagship winery, established in 1979, is in western New York's Chautauqua County – but the winery also operates a tasting room on Seneca Lake.

Wilhelmus owner Boud Kuenen’s connection to winemaking stretches back to the 1950s, when he first watched his late home-winemaking father crush grapes at home, in Canandaigua.

Inside its poinsettia-shaped home on Seneca Lake’s eastern shore, Wagner Vineyards offers two ways to wet your whistle.